Marton (near Congleton) was a township in the ancient parishes of Prestbury and Gawsworth in Macclesfield Hundred which became a civil parish in 1866. It includes the hamlets of Cockmoss, Gorsley Green, Mutlow and Pikelow. The population was 310 in 1801, 313 in 1851, 289 in 1901, 227 in 1951, and 222 in 2001.

Its outstanding feature is the 14th century timber–framed church of St James and St Paul, founded in 1343. A plaque outside the church claims it is the oldest timber-framed church still in use in Europe.

Research Tips

The GENUKI and UKBMD pages on Cheshire and its parishes point to many other sources of information on places within the county. The many small parishes and townships that existed before 1866 are treated individually as well as the larger towns and conurbations.

A Vision of Britain through Time provides a series of maps from the Ordnance Survey illustrating the towns and villages of Cheshire and also the borders between parishes. The following group of maps provide views of the county at various dates, illustrating the changes in administrative structure.

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies have organized a facility to compare 19th century maps (including tithe maps circa 1830) with modern Ordnance Survey maps. These are available for every civil parish. The detail is very magnified and it is difficult to read any placenames on the older maps. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies are the local keepers of historical material for the county.